The invention relates generally to the field of chip design software applications, more particularly to a system and method for placing resources within an integrated circuit device.
It is often useful to utilize chip design application software to layout and plan new integrated circuits. This chip design application software is typically configured to aide the user in keeping track of resource requirements of particular modules. Furthermore, chip design application software also allows users to assign chip resources to particular modules.
However, chip design software applications typically have minimal graphical support. They usually are not capable of supplying the user with a graphical display representing a current status of the layout of the resources on a chip. Circuit designers are typically required to manually and textually track their layout decisions with minimal graphical support. Further, typical software packages do not give graphical representations of possible placement of resources for unplaced user modules. Additionally, typical software packages also do not provide alternative possible placements for user modules within the available programmable resources.
It is useful to provide a circuit designer with a circuit design application software that provides the chip designer with a comprehensive graphical display of the chip planning process. For example, being able to graphically display a module implemented on a chip along with the associated resources would be useful. Further, being able to graphically display a module and various resources which would satisfy the requirements of the module would also be beneficial. Additionally, being able to give alternative possible placements for user modules within the available programmable resources would also be beneficial.
A system and method for graphically displaying modules and resources within a chip design software application are described. The system and method provide a graphical interface which relate both a module and the associated resource. This graphical interface utilizes highlights of both the module and the associated resource in patterns, grayscales, or colors to graphically illustrate the relationship between the module and the associated resource. The system and method also provide a graphical interface which illustrates a fixed group and unfixed group of resources associated with a particular module. The unfixed group of resources can be iterated to a next possible location on the chip that would satisfy the requirements of the associated module. Any fixed group of resources can be selected as the unfixed group by selecting that group of resources.
More specifically, in a computer system, an embodiment of the present invention is drawn to a method of designing an integrated circuit comprising: a) displaying a plurality of images each representing a programmable resource, the plurality of images comprising a first set and a second set; b) determining and displaying a first placement of a user module, the first placement comprising a first resource of the first set visually distinguished and a second resource of the second set visually distinguished; and c) responsive to a user request, determining and displaying a second placement of the user module, the second placement comprising the first resource of the first set visually distinguished and a third resource of the second set visually distinguished, wherein the second and third resources are different.
Embodiments include the above and wherein the first set comprises digital or analog programmable blocks and the second set comprises analog or digital programmable blocks. Embodiments include the above further comprising, responsive to a user request, displaying a third placement of the user module, the third placement comprising a fourth resource of the first set visually distinguished and the third resource of the second set visually distinguished, wherein the first and fourth resources are different. Embodiments include the above and wherein the integrated circuit is a microcontroller.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and illustrated by way of example of the principles of the invention.